Electric plug means



Jan. 5, 1943;

S. SAVAGE ELECTRIC PLUG MEANS Filed Dec. 6-, 1940 INVENTOR 67b)?! BY ey Javage' ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 5, 1943 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFlCE ELECTRIC PLUG MEANS Stanley Savage, Seattle, Wash. Application December 6, 1940, Serial No. 368,811

. 2 Claims. (01. 173 -361) This invention relates to electrical plug and socket means and more particularly to a plug which is electrically and mechanically connected to a socket.

Electrically operated appliances, as irons, toasters, drills,'wash machines, etc., to mention only a very few, are commonly equipped with cords terminating in a plug. This plug is plugged in a socket of the wall type or the type supported by a cord to provide electrical connection. Frequently such plugs become loosened or entirely disconnected from the sockets so that a distinct commercial need has arisen for simple and practical structure permitting ready selective mechanical coupling and uncoupling of the plug from the socket.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple and efficient plug detachably mechanically connectable with a socket.

It is another object to provide a plug detachably connectable to presently existing sockets without alteration to the sockets.

It is another object to provide a plug having a housing rotatably supporting the metallic electrical connectors or projecting prongs.

It is another object to provide a two piece plug,-one, a housing and, two, a disc-like member rotatably connected therewith, which disclike member supports the metallic electrical connectors or prongs and service cord or wires.

It is a further object to provide a two-piece plug construction'which readily adapts itself to molding construction from materials, as rubber or Bakelite (a phenolcondensate).

It is a further object to provide a two piece plug wherein the pieces may be interfitted and then held together by a wire ring.

It is a further object to provide an electric plug where the service cord or wire is connected therewith so that strain exerted on the cord or wire is transmitted to the plug and not to the electrical connections between cord, or wire and metallic electrical connectors of the plug.

It is a further object to provide an electrical plug provided with an opening to threadedly receive the cord or wire and thus eliminate strain on the electrical connections between the cord or wire and the metallic electrical connectors.

The above mentioned general objects of my invention, together with others inherent in the same, are attained by the device illustrated in the following drawing, the same being a preferred exemplary form of embodiment of my invention, throughout which drawing like reference numerals indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an electrical plug means constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of said plug means with the parts thereof assembled and showing a resilient locking ring in a proper position to hold the parts in assembled relation;

Fig. 3 is a view, on a larger scale than the other figures, showing the plug means in axial mid section and showing a receptacle cover and a fragment of a receptacle in section and showing a fragment of a socket in elevation, the plug means being plugged into the socket and the housing of the plug means being engaged with the receptacle cover;

Fig. 4 is a detachedelevation of the plug housn Fig. 5 is a top plan view of said plug housing looking in the direction indicated by broken ime 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of said plug housing looking in the direction indicated by broken line 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a detached top plan view of the disclike member of the plug member, the wires being omitted;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation looking in the direction indicated by broken line 88 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation looking in the direction indicated by broken lines 99 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of a receptacle cover plate with which this plug member is adapted to cooperate;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken substantially on broken line lI-H of Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken substantially on broken line l2-| 2 of Fig. 10.

The plug of this invention comprises a housing l0 and disc-like member II, which are rotatabl;

interconnected. The housing II is provided with a shoulder I2. Lugs l3 and slots M are circumferentially spaced and are provided in spaced relation to the shoulder l2 to provide an annular groove IS. The groove I5 is of a depth to loosely receive therein the lugs 21 of the disc-like member II and the split wire ring it. An open ing I9 is provided for the passage therethrough of a service wire or cord 20 generally comprising two insulated wires.

The disc-like member ll mounts projecting electrical connectors or prongs 2|, which are usually two in number. nectors or prongs 2| pass through openings in Preferably these consaid disc-like member ii and are connected to a triangular shaped lug 22 formed integral with the disc-like member Ii, as by screws 23. Screws 24, threadedly connected to connectors 2|, provide means for electrically connecting the wires of cord 20 with the connectors 2|.

The cord 20 is preferably connected with the disc-like member II to eliminate strain on the connection between screws 24 and wires of cord 20. This is accomplished by providing shoulder or lug 22 with an opening 25 through which the wires of the cord 20 are projected in opposite directions and then connected with the screws 24. While the wires of cord 20 are not directly fastened to the shoulder 22, I have found in actual operation that sufllcient securing oi the cord 20 to the shoulder 22 is thus provided to eliminate any undue strain on the connection between the wires 01 the cord 20 and the screws 24. In prior art constructions, strain on the cords, as 20, positively tended to loosen the connection of the wires to the metallicprojecting prongs.

The disc-like member II is provided with circumferentially spaced slots 26 and lugs 21 which register and interfit with the lugs 13 and slots 14 of the housing I for purposes hereafter explained.

The mode of operation of my device is exceedingly simple. The cord 20 is projected through opening 25. The wires forming the cord 20 are separated so that free ends are provided of a length to permit projection of the same in opposite directions through the opening in the shoulder 22 and further provide uninsulated portions to be secured under screws 24. Then relative movement is provided between the housing in and the disc-like member H with the lugs l3 and slots M of the housing Iii in registration respectively with the slots 26 and lugs 21 of the disc-like member I I, and movement is continued until the lugs 21 rest against the shoulder i2. The split wire ring i8 is then inserted in the groove i5 and between the lugs 21 of the disclike member and the lugs l3 of the housing it]. The wire ring I8 is or a larger diameter than the diameter of the groove 15, thus tending to stay properly in place. The wire ring l0 and shoulder 12 will obviously prevent relative dis placement of the housing l0 and disc-like member II, and at the same time permit relative rotary or angular movement. The curved surface 28 is provided to aid in the removal of the split ring l8 when desired.

The housing I0 is provided with means which upon angular movement will permit the same to be mechanically detachably connected to a socket or electric outlet means. By way of example, I have shown lugs 28 which are adapted to engage lugs 29 of a socket plate 30. The socket plate 30 may be the plate of a walltype socket or the plate of a socket carried by a cord. The

socket plate 30, lugs 29 and lugs 28 form no part of the present invention and they are merely illustrative of one form of a use of the present plug invention. Obviously, other types at connections may be provided between the rotatable housing I0 and a plat carried by a socket.

Obviously, change may be made in the form, dimensions and arrangement or the parts of my invention, without departing from the principle thereof, the above setting forth only a preferred form of embodiment.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a disc like electric prong-carrying member; circumferentially spaced outwardly projecting lug members on said disc like member providing inwardly directed slots therebetween; a housing member; an annular shoulder member within said housing member against which said lug members on said disc like member may be urged; circumierentially spaced inwardly projecting lug members on said housing member providing inwardly directed'slqts therebetween, said lug members and slots on said disc like member interfitting respectively with the slots and lug members on the housing member and movable adiacent said shoulder member and in inward parallel spaced relation as respects said lug members on said housing member; locking means positioned between said lug members on said housing member and said lug members on said disc like member and rotatably securing said disc like member against said annular shoulder member; and means carried by said housing member adapted to be detachably mechanically locked with electric outlet means upon rotation of said housing member.

2. A device of the class described comprising a disc like electric prong carrying member; circumferentially spaced outwardhr projecting lug members on said disc like member providing inwardly directed slots therebetween; a housing member; an annular shoulder member within said housing member against which said lug members on said disc like member may be urged; circumferentially spaced inwardly projecting lug members on said housing member providing inwardly directed slots therebetween, said lug members and slots on said disc like member interfltting respectively with the slots and lug members on the housing member and moveable adjacent said shoulder member and in inward parallel spaced relation as respects said lug members on said housing member; split ring means positioned between said lug members on said housing member and said lug members on said disc like member; and means carried by said housing member adapted to be detachably mechanically locked with electric outlet means upon rotation of said housing member.

STANLEY SAVAGE. 

